Month: January 2017
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The Nintendo Switch

As fans watched closely, Nintendo officially showed off its newest console The Nintendo Switch. This new piece of hardware will hit store shelves on March 3rd. The Treehouse Live Event, held on January 12th, was filled with both satisfaction and disappointment. While hardcore Nintendo fans are boasting about the impressive selection of launch content, many can’t help but feel disappointed with the lack of new content. One thing the veteran video game developer did deliver on is a ton of new details on its highly anticipated console.

As expected, the Nintendo Switch is a “hybrid” console. What this means is that it can be used at home on a television or be removed from a docking station and used as a portable device. The process of changing between the mode is seamless and can be done on the fly, hence the name “Switch”. When operating the console at home players will take the new “joy-con” controllers and plug them into a controller named the “joy-con grip”. Then the consoles center snaps into a base station which is plugged into a TV or PC Monitor. To go back to portable, all that needs to be done is remove the joy-con controllers from the side and the game will switch screens.

Time For The Gimmick

The on-the-go version of the console is a tablet like device very similar to the Wii U gamepad. It offers two analog sticks, four face buttons, four directional buttons, and two triggers. Nintendo did not confirm, but it is speculated that most of the game’s processing power is located in the tablet device.

The Joy-Con controllers allow for a multitude of different control schemes. The two separate controllers can be snapped together to form one more traditional control but they can be kept apart if it feels more comfortable. The controllers also come with detachable wrist straps much like the Wii controller (avoiding a sizable broken TV litigation). Things start to take an interesting turn with the tech inside the controllers. The right controller contains an infrared camera which can tell distances and simple hand gestures. In the live stream event, Nintendo showed a quick game of “Rock, Paper, Scissors” to demonstrate the power of the IR technology.

It appears as though Nintendo is trying to build a more successful online community. Much like the PS4 and Xbox One, the Nintendo Switch will include a share button that will let players instantly upload photos and eventually videos online. For fans of local split screen co-op, Nintendo had some good news. Each of the joy-con controllers can be turned on their side to make individual controllers that are very reminiscent to the Wii Classic Controller. When playing alone on the road, users will be able to put a kickstand up on the back of the console so a more traditional control scheme can still be used and holding it does not become an inconvenience.

Also shown off was the new “Pro” controller, which looks identical to a Xbox controller. Fixing a common complaint about the Wii U Pro Controller, Nintendo made the new one with off-set joysticks. This will absolutely appeal to old school fans that are tired of the gimmicky controllers the company is famous for making. A huge downside to this amazing news is that it will not come bundled with the console. In fact, this controller will not even be available at release and when it is out, the price is a whooping $70. This isn’t surprising considering the price of just one Joy-con controller is $80. The touchscreen on the console itself is a multi-touch screen much like that of the popular 3DS console.

Many noticed that a lot of aspects of the new console mimicked those of Nintendo’s older hardware. The reason behind this, as Nintendo was quick to detail, was because a lot of the design philosophy was centered around using the best parts of all their old systems.

Performance/Hardware

Shortly after the live event, Nvidia made a blog post detailing that the Nintendo Switch will use a custom version of their Tegra chipset. Nintendo had commented on multiple occasions that the console would be as powerful undocked as it was in the dock but that now seems like rhetoric. If the chips that are reported to be in the console actually are, the Nintendo Switch’s processing power would fall just a little behind that of the PS4 and Xbox One. This of course would still not be comparable to the PS4 Pro or Project Scorpio.

Unfortunately, Nintendo did not delve too deep into the Hardware aspect of their new console (hopefully not because it is underpowered). They did say that the battery life is somewhere between 2 and a half, to 6 and a half hours, depending on the game being played. The device will be charged via a USB Type-C cable so that outside cords can be used.

The most exciting bit of hardware news that came out of the event was that the Nintendo Switch will not be region locked (tear of joy). This is truly surprising considering that their most recent consoles have all been region specific. Ultimately, this new direction fits the on-the-go philosophy of the console. This also means that the first party games that are typically released first in Japan, can be used on a western console.

The Games!

Viewers of the stream were filled with a mix of happiness, disappointment and confusion when Nintendo showed the games line up. Nintendo has always thrived on its first party development and while that was certainly on display, the company also wanted viewers to know they are fully supporting third party this time around. Bethesda, Telltale and even From Software were all names present on the third party development list. Mainly, a version of Skyrim being played on the portable device was a highlight. If the console can actually run like it did during the event, it will be a truly fascinating piece of technology.

Much to many’s disappointment it was revealed that the console would not be backwards compatible with the Wii U or Wii (guess I’m hanging onto them for smash). Instead, Nintendo showed off their collection of new first party games. Highly anticipated Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was revealed as a launch title, the same strategy used for Twilight Princess when the Wii was released. Also shown was a very uncomfortable look at Mario in a real world setting in Super Mario Odyssey.

Splatoon 2 was another cool detail to come out of the event. The first was a breakout hit and released back in 2015 and Nintendo seems keen to capitalize on its success. A new original IP called “ARMS” was announced as well, which features stretchy armed characters playing a game very reminiscent to Rock em’ Sock em’ Robots. Last but not least, Nintendo showed off the new “Wii Sports” like game. This time around, it’s called 1, 2, switch. This game seems very much like a tech demo instead of a true game, but nonetheless it will probably offer tons of fun in a local group gaming session.

Nintendo also mentioned that Amiibo support will be continued on the Nintendo Switch. This seems like an obvious move considering the toys-to-life figures are a very recent and very successful thing for the company.

How Much?

As mentioned earlier, the console is coming out on March 3rd. This fits right in with earlier reports that the NX was coming out in March of 2017. The system will set buyers back $300 and come bundled with the two Joy-con controllers, a myriad of accessories (typical), a Joy-con grip, and a USB Type-C adaptor for charging the console.

We here at Gigamax are extremely excited for this console and can not wait to get our hands on it. We will make sure to have plenty of videos, articles and streams featuring this console closer to release. So don’t forget to keep checking back with Gigamax Games for the latest video game industry updates! The links below will direct you to our other content! Also included is the video of the event itself. Thank you all for stopping by!

Scalebound: Bound For The Abyss

Microsoft and the developer, Platinum dropped some unfortunate news today. Scalebound, one of the most anticipated Xbox games of the year has been canceled. The news broke yesterday via official announcement from Microsoft and on @Scalebound’s Twitter. This was an unprecedented move by Microsoft.

“After careful deliberation, Microsoft Studios has come to the decision to end production for Scalebound. We’re working hard to deliver an amazing lineup of games to our fans this year, including Halo Wars 2, Crackdown 3, State of Decay 2, Sea of Thieves and other great experiences.”
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In another interesting turn of events, Microsoft refused to comment about the ownership of the Scalebound IP. This leaves Platinum in an uncomfortable position. Hopefully Platinum has some stake in the IP, just so they’re not left in the dust.

The game seemed to be well on its way to release, hours of work must have already been poured into it. The game was first announced at E3 in 2014 with an expected holiday 2016 release. But it was pushed back once more and “in order to deliver on our ambitious vision and ensure that Scalebound lives up to expectations.” (http://bit.ly/2iXamjb)

It doesn’t look like the gaming community will be getting their co-op RPG dragon brawler this year or any time soon. This absolutely looked like an extremely promising video game release for 2017. As more information becomes available in regard to the ownership IP or any hint about the future for Scalebound, we’ll update this article.

Let’s give our final goodbye to this game we never got our hands on, but wanted so badly. Here is some of the game footage we do have to remember it.

Diablo 3: The Darkening of Tristram

The Darkening of Tristram is a return to Diablo’s roots and a nostalgic look back for many of the series long time players. This update adds a 16 level dungeon that contains every unique monster from the original Diablo. Unfortunately this new area will only be accessible in January and 2017 is the first year it will be running. Along with the monsters ,The Darkening of Tristram adds much more from the first game as well.

Included are most of the events and bosses. These boss characters include The Butcher, Skeleton King, and Diablo himself. Unique bosses and monsters will always drop top tier magic items from the first game such as King’s Sword of Haste or Archangel’s Staff. The only downside to these items is that at maximum level, they aren’t very useful for long time heroes. Monsters have the same name they did in Diablo I but use graphical assets from Diablo III with slight recolors. Some enemies have their original abilities, but if their was no Diablo III equivalent the developers used the closest thing to match.

Diablo Nostalgia Trip

The original quests from the first Diablo appear as well, although most of these quests are shadows of their former selves. For example, the quest “Poisoned Water” was a long journey to clean the water supply of Tristram and now it only involves finding a Resplendent Chest. Players are given access to all the quests in the beginning and rewards are dropped in the form of magic items with unique graphics and text but there’s no gameplay value to these items. NPC’s from the original game also make an appearance. Fan favorites like Pepin, Griswold, Farnham, and Ogden show up in their respective “corpse” forms. These characters don’t do much but are all involved in a secret quest which replaces the old “Black Mushroom” quest.

There are many rewards for completing the dungeon. To start, there are banner elements for each boss. Players are also able to obtain two unique pets and two Transmogrification weapons. Portraits can be acquired by killing all the unique enemies and finding all 7 pages scattered around the dungeon.

To get into this new area players must travel to The Old Ruins of Tristram and enter a portal next to the fountain. The new zone is called Tristram and every one of the levels is called “Labyrinth”.

Overview

This update is an awesome addition but we only wish it was around for longer than just a month. All of that aside it’s obvious Blizzard knows how to celebrate a 20th anniversary. Hopefully this update will lead into their Rise of the Necromancer DLC, which adds a new Necromancer class from Diablo II. Make sure to keep checking back with Gigamax games for all the most recent Diablo updates.

Titanfall 2 – Pilot Helmet Walkthrough

Titanfall 2 has offered hours of entertainment from both multiplayer and the story. The addition of a story mode is something that is brand new to franchise. It was a great move on the developer, Respawn Entertainment’s part and the video below will help you get the most out of the campaign.

In the Titanfall 2 campaign walkthrough, we set out to show all the locations of the pilot helmets. These easter eggs are located throughout the campaign. The video doesn’t just include the pilot helmet locations, the entire play though is included! We had to include the entire playthrough rather than just cut to the pilot helmet locations since the campaign offered so much value. Viewers can see that Respawn Entertainment really listened to the community and delivered a worthwhile single player experience.

Running through this fast paced first-person shooter is an exhilarating experience. The graphics are incredible and the gameplay is smooth. Again, this is the first Titanfall with a story but they put it together nicely. Gigs even said that Titanfall 2 had the best mission in any first-person shooter he’s ever played. Can’t wait to see what he means so be sure to stay tuned.

Hope you all enjoy part 1 & 2 of our pilot helmet campaign walkthrough. More to come! Finally, don’t forget to subscribe!

The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+

Today 1/3/16, marks the release of The Binding of Isaac Afterbirth+. It would be fair to say this game has had a long 5 year journey and it keeps on going. This rogue like dungeon crawler is an insane adventure that has captivated so many. The game certainly has it’s quirks, but it is all part of the creepy aesthetic developer Edmund Mcmillen was going for. Afterbirth+ is the fourth and final expansion for the series but adds tools that will let the community keep the game alive.

Originally intended to be a simple update to Afterbirth, Afterbirth+ slowly transformed into a full fledged add on. Coming in at $9.99 the expansion certainly doesn’t hold back on content. In a series of blog post the developer detailed everything new that was coming to the game. With 67 new items, 27 new trinkets, and over 10 new pickups for players to fool around with, their will also be a ton of new enemies, transformations and challenges to discover and conquer.

Mod Tools

The biggest addition that hardcore fans are ecstatic for are the mod tools. Edmund Mcmillen is moving onto other projects so he’s tasked the community with filling the void in his place. A full mod kit has been released for players to design and implement their own features into the game. Not only are the mods downloadable, but every month a mod will be selected to be a permanent fixture in The Binding of Isaac. One extensive mod, already available for download, is The Binding of Isaac: God Mode. This mod is essentially a brand new game that overhauls almost every aspect including enemies, items, and floors. Some major additions are new HUD designs and huge story details with fleshed out animations.

The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ is an awesome low cost update to an already extensive experience. This game has had an amazing lifespan for something that started out as a simple flash game on Newgrounds.

Indie developers keep the industry fresh with new ideas that challenge the norm and can keep their initial vision without publisher’s interfering. Right now, fans can pick up the update on Steam for Mac and PC but there isn’t much word on when console players can expect play. Hopefuly we will see it on console soon.

Shovel Knight – ‘Let’s Play’ with GIGAMAX

Shovel Knight is one of those classic Indie Games that deserves credit. When games today offer 4k resolution at 60fps, many gamers are looking for graphics. Offering an 8bit, 2D platformer that can pull a modern gamer’s attention is impressive.

We wanted to help show off what this beautiful platformer has to give. From unique enemies to amusing dialog, it is absolutely worth the money. Another added bonus, purchasing Shovel Knight on Playstation Vita opens up the game on Playstation 4. If you’re still on the fence about spending the money, take a look at our Let’s play series. In the play through, we dive right into the game and start slaying.

Overall Shovel Knight has delivered hours of entertainment and some exciting adventures. The game is challenging but not overwhelming. Expect more great footage of this wonderful game in the near future.

Specter of Torment DLC

Gigamax jumps back into Shovel Knight with the Nintendo Switch! The Switch just dropped and one of the first games available on the new console is Shovel Knight DLC, Specter of Torment. Hope you all enjoy the Shovel Knight playlist and always check back as Gigamax continues on in the future!

Here at Gigamax we love covering Indie games of all kinds. Our gaming doesn’t stop there, AAA games are on the list as well! To find more video’s like the one below, don’t forget to Subscribe to our YouTube channel!

For Honor – Choose Your Faction

One of the most highly anticipated releases of 2017, For Honor is ready to take center stage. Expected to release in February, the beta sign-up is available now. This “Art of Combat” fast-paced melee combat offers the player total control of the warrior chosen. For Honor caught our eye at E3 and the community gathered around to speculate if Ubisoft could pull it off.

Expected to released in about a month, more details have surfaced of what players can expect. Let’s take a dive inside to see what For Honor would have to offer.

A universe, divided into three factions fighting to reign supreme. Players will choose between Knight, Viking or the deadly Samurai and attempt to claw their way to victory. The game offers both a campaign and multiplayer mode where players use their chosen warrior to bring down the opposing force.

Reports suggest that For Honor is heavily focused on the multiplayer aspect of the game. For Honor was said to deliver a high-intensity and exhilarating multiplayer experience. Offering 12 maps and 4 different variations of each, Ubisoft has offered 60 unique online environments. They also announced that post-launch content will be added for free, which is always great news. In an attempt to keep the community on the same pace, they decided to level the playing field in regard to DLC. No word yet on whether For Honor will have paid DLC content, however it looks as though micro-transactions will be added. There seem’s to be suggestions of a “loot-box’ kind of system where players can find different skins, emotes, exc.

Campaign

When it comes to the single-player, an early access report stated that it didn’t stack up. Though gameplay was said to be just as exciting and interesting as multiplayer, the story was found to be lackluster.

Games that offer multiple factions such as For Honor, have a lot of potential for adding an enriched story filled with different perspectives. It’s always a shame when a developer doesn’t make full use of their content. This is not to say that there won’t be additional story DLC in the future, so there is hope.

Gigamax has applied for the Beta test for For Honor. We will update this page when we have our hands on our Beta code.